City Hall switching to summer hours Also, plans for a new sign on hold

Thursday

Jun 27, 2013 at 3:15 AM

By Ellen W. ToddSanford News Writer

SANFORD — City hall offices will go on summer hours on Monday.

For two months, from July 1 to September 1, the city clerk’s office, parks and recreation office, planning and codes offices will close at 4:30 p.m. rather than 5 p.m. Employees will take a half-hour for lunch instead of an hour to make up the half hour at the end of the day.

The idea for summer hours was suggested by interim Mayor Maura Herlihy at the June 18 city council meeting. Herlihy said it would give employees more time to enjoy the sun and spend time with families and, she said, traffic to the city offices usually drops off after 4:30.

City Councilor Alan Walsh wasn’t so sure. Walsh said he always saw the last half-hour of the day as the most productive because employees weren’t being interrupted. Walsh made a motion to implement the summer hours on a one-year trial basis and councilors agreed.

In other news, councilors voted not to make a decision on the design of a new “Sanford City Hall” sign. During a discussion on four designs presented to the council, the question of where the sign will be located was raised. City Manager Steven Buck said he was told that the sign was to go on the lawn in front of the building near the clock and would be supported by upright granite posts and attached with wrought iron hardware.

“I don’t want the sign in front of the clock,” said Walsh. “Why did we decide not to attach it to the building?”

Herlihy said she too assumed the sign was going on the building, “similar to what we took down,” referring to the “Town Hall” sign that was removed.

“I think the look of the building and the clock in front very clearly designate this building as city hall,” Herlihy said, responding to the idea that a freestanding sign on the ground would be more visible.

The council voted to table the motion to approve a sign design, and Herlihy said she would meet with Sherry Lord, the city manager’s executive assistant, to look into designs and prices for a sign that would be installed on the front of the building.

The delay means that the new sign will most likely not be done in time for “Celebrate Sanford Day” on July 18, as had been anticipated.

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